


No Rest For the Wicked

by sailorartemis



Category: Borderlands (Video Games)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Zombie Apocalypse, Blood and Gore, Character Death, Don't get attached, Heavy Angst, Major Character Injury, Multi, Please Don't Hate Me, Rhys and Vaughn are friends but it’s mostly flashbacks, Suffering, Zombie Apocalypse, Zombies, let's prepare to suffer, more to be added - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-20
Updated: 2019-06-20
Packaged: 2020-05-15 05:14:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,392
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19288885
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sailorartemis/pseuds/sailorartemis
Summary: When an elite company's bio-warfare virus unleashes on the public, a group of strong but unwitting heroes must fight their way to safety and piece together their futures. Join those we know as Vault Hunters, their enemies, and our favorite NPCs as they are thrown into a brand new universe. There are no alien powers, no talking guns, and no Butt Stallions. Are their wits and tenacity enough to make it out of this newly forming wasteland?---New chapters every 3-7 days!Comments are always appreciated!Hope someone out there enjoys!





	No Rest For the Wicked

**Author's Note:**

> hey have fun and prepare to suffer

**\---**

**SANCTUARY, 2:12 PM**

**MAYA, CODENAME: SIREN**

 

“STAY AWAY FROM THE GATES!”

 

A guard banged his fist against the gate, screaming at the citizens that were hoarding by them. The people were shouting, throwing things, and pushing over each other to get through. The guards wouldn’t budge and a warning shot was thrown in the air. The crowd went silent.

 

“WE’RE JUST FOLLOWING ORDERS! RETURN TO YOUR HOMES AND STAY INDOORS!”

 

Roughly a fourth of the crowd recognized what was best for them and moved to leave. The rest at least quieted down. The guards kept their stances, forcing the touchier or more violent ones away. The guards had guns, the people didn’t. It was obvious who was in control here.

 

Maya huffed, turning away. She and Axton weren’t in the crowd, but rather on the balcony of the citizen’s militia headquarters. Ironic that the town’s protection wasn’t able to protect them from this. Instead the Crimson Raiders were shut down within seconds, military rule from the capital city of Helios taking over.

 

“Maya, you have to stop watching them.” Her partner in crime came out from around the corner. Axton crossed his arms, giving her a look. “It’s sad, I know, but something’s going on here and we just have to trust them to deal with it.”

 

She snapped to face him. “They’re forbidden from leaving the city. People have families out there. They’re not telling us what’s going on and I think it’s fine to sympathize with the people a bit.” 

 

Maya actually had no plans on leaving the city. She thought this was weird, but was certain it was nothing more than some new virus strain. She had a good immune system, she thought. So she had made up her mind. This was currently home. Maya didn’t plan on leaving.

 

Well, until someone screamed.

 

Maya looked off the balcony. A woman ran through the center of town, blood trailing behind her. Someone ran after her.

 

“HELP ME! HELP!”

 

She fell down in the street. Dead, Maya assumed. Everyone else seemed to assume that too. People rushed to her side and Maya just stared, silently.

 

The next few minutes were silent. At least until the woman stood up and dived into the crowd. A fury of screams erupted. There was blood. There were bullets.

 

And Maya said what she never planned on saying.

 

“Axton, we have to go.”

 

**\---**

**CONCORDIA, 3:26 PM**

**ATHENA, CODENAME: GLADIATOR**

 

“Athena, come ‘ere! You’re gonna wanna hear this!”

 

Janey Springs was hunched over on the couch, staring at the TV. Athena had never found interest in her daytime programs and news shows, but Janey watched them whenever she wasn’t in the garage. And right now she was pretty upset that Mad Moxxi’s love advice show was being was interrupted by a news program.

 

Athena came in, the ex-soldier carrying a full bag of chips. “I told you, Janey, Moxxi’s nice and all but I don’t think he should have a say in our love li-” She paused, realizing that wasn’t on TV. That was usually what Janey called her in for and while Athena thought it was adorable, she didn’t want to ask some sex-crazed bar owner for relationship advice.

 

“That’s not it, babe. Look!” Janey pointed at the TV and the ongoing news broadcast.

 

“...and the town’s gates are shut indefinitely.” There was a short pause as the reporter listened to something through her headset. “Violence is running rampant in Sanctuary. As far as we at the station are concerned, the virus is contained there. A report has come in from Concordia, but there is no way to confirm it yet. Because of this, the Meriff- that is the joint mayor and sheriff of the city of Concordia- is issuing a quarantine in the city, to be enforced by customs officers. It is recommended that you stay indoors and stay tuned for local and national updates. From Pandora-Elpis Area news, this has been an emergency broadcast.”

 

Athena stared at the screen. Some riots a city over and now they were being quarantined? Viruses were nothing to be concerned about, in her opinion.

 

“Baby, I really don’t like this whole quarantine idea.” Janey looked up at Athena, who sighed.

 

“I know. The Meriff’s a prick and he’s probably worried about riots coming here.” Reasonable fear, she’d admit. But she was still upset.

 

“What if that virus thing is here too? She said it might be in other areas.” Janey frowned, looking back at the TV. She switched off Moxxi’s show when it returned. Now wasn’t the time.

 

“Hey, I promise that everything’s fine. Let’s just wait this stupid thing out.” Athena took a seat beside her, placing a reassuring hand on her girlfriend’s shoulder.

 

Janey was reassured for a quick second until she heard commotion outside. Screaming, running, fighting. “Athena, sweetie, I don’t think everything’s fine.”

 

Athena got up and ran to the window, looking outside. She was going to spare Janey the gory details. That broadcast was too late. The Meriff wasn’t trying to keep riots out, he was trying to keep something in. Blood splashed against the window and she jumped back. This wasn’t her normal kind of virus.

 

“Janey, pack a bag.”

 

**\---**

**FYRESTONE, 3:42 PM**

**LILITH, CODENAME: FIREHAWK**

 

There was no hesitation. The shot was quick and clean. The red haired woman didn’t stumble or falter. Instead she holstered her pistol and made her way back to the camp.

 

It wasn’t that Lilith was heartless. She just refused to deal with any bullshit. She knew what was happening- it wasn’t that hard to piece together- and she was going to survive. Quarantines weren’t going to do shit. But her gun? Her gun could do a lot of shit.

 

She slammed the door to the shack, getting looks from the other two waiting there. Then again, Lilith slamming the door as she came in was a common occurrence.

 

The first of her friends, Mordecai, was leaning back in a chair with his legs kicked up on the table. He was holding a bottle of booze- the thing was practically glued to his hand every waking hour of every single day. His friends tried to rip it away time and time again, but it always found its way back into his callous grip.

 

The second was Brick. Fitting name if you knew him. He sat across from Mordecai, struggling to shuffle a deck of cards with his big hands. Nobody knew why he still attempted.

 

“Get your guns or knives or whatever you want and let’s go kill some people.” Lilith was blunt, as she was usually. “Pull them out of the stash and let’s go.”

 

It was obvious that she was being serious. So serious that Mordecai and Brick listened without asking any followup questions, pulling together their weapons of choice.

 

Fyrestone wasn’t a safe place. It was a lawless town full of sand and bandits. The only ones keeping order there were the de facto militia force. Guess who they were? Commander Lilith, Mordecai, and Brick. Their former commander was Roland, but he had split a while back to take a more serious job in Sanctuary. Fyrestone wasn’t serious. It wasn’t even under any federal jurisdiction after the Atlas Corporation was dissolved into Hyperion’s reign. It was free game for whoever wanted to live or murder there. That was how the trio liked it.

 

So Lilith’s subordinates weren’t exactly questioning their sudden gun collection.

 

“More bandits, Lil?” The drunken man loaded his sniper rifle as he asked while Brick handled a heavy shotgun.

 

“Not exactly. It’s that stupid virus Roland’s been messaging us about, probably. You know the whole kill on sight thing? Yeah, that’s our job now.” Their job was always kill on sight, but they wouldn’t admit it due to the moral issues. “He said Sanctuary’s fallen. I think it’s going to be the damn same here.” Lilith cocked her pistol, peeking through the window. There was no one out there, thankfully.

 

“We’re not the best supplied for a giant army of dead people,” Brick mentioned. “And this place has like ten open windows. We can’t fight off a bunch of zombies in this shack.”

 

“Brick’s right. This town won’t be safe for long. Zed ditched a few hours ago. He probably had a clue.” Mordecai shrugged. “Point is, we need a better place if you plan on riding this out.”

 

“I know that.” Lilith thought for a second. “The Atlas military used to have a claim on this land. There’s a base they set up a few years back. Seems like a good place for the time being.”

 

Mordecai nodded, looking to Brick. The brute seemed to agree.

 

The drunken man raised his beer. “Let’s do it.”

 

**\---**

**HELIOS, 3:53**

**ANGEL, CODENAME: GUARDIAN ANGEL**

 

Her father had assured her that everything was fine. That these virus talks were all nonsense. He wouldn’t let her see the newscasts, but she heard them.

 

_...spread through biting or death… _

 

_...takes only minutes to turn… _

 

_...parasite growth deep in the mind… _

 

It obviously wasn’t nonsense. Angel knew that. She heard the whispers of the workers, saw the terrified faces as they begged their superiors to let them leave the office to see family. Hyperion didn’t work like that.

 

She had done most of her duties that her father requested for the day. Angel walked down the narrow, stone covered path to reach her last task. All she had to do was bring back the chem lab’s rain test gauge. Something about acid levels? Angel didn’t really care.

 

All she had to do was pick up the container meant to collect the rainwater and she’d be done for--

 

It was all a blur. So fast and painful. Angel screamed, falling back on the path. A rabid man had tackled her and was now in the process of biting a big chunk out of her arm. She kicked and kicked and kicked, only narrowly getting away. Through her tear-blurred vision she ran back to the gate. Her flats barely allowed for it, but she made her way back into the city. She stood there, shocked and frightened.

 

She stuck to the side roads. Nobody could see her bleeding. It would only raise suspicions. The mansion was nearby.

 

It took her one minute to get there.

 

Angel kicked off her flats at the front door and ran up to her room.

 

It took her one minute to get there.

 

_...takes only minutes to turn… _

 

If this was what she thought it was, she’d be gone in just a matter of seconds. She’d have just put her entire town in danger.

 

“This can’t be happening!” Angel slid down against the door, crying out as she touched her bleeding arm. It stung and she instantly pulled her hand away.

 

At least her father wouldn’t hesitate to put her parasite-driven body down…

 

Two minutes passed. She waited for the inevitable.

 

Five minutes passed. She wondered if she was already dead.

 

Ten minutes passed. She was convinced that this was the afterlife.

 

Twenty minutes and she finally opened her eyes.

 

She was still bleeding, but she felt fine.

 

There was nothing wrong with her.

 

And Angel didn’t know why.

 

**\---**

**HELIOS, 3:59**

**JACK, CODENAME: HANDSOME JACK**

 

The angered man paced the room, his second in command standing on the other side of the desk.

 

“I know it was Dahl! That company has always had it out for our success.”

 

Handsome Jack was the leader of the government-slash-military-slash-corporate body that was Hyperion. And here he was, in the capital of the capital city of Helios, trying to figure out who unleashed his unfinished bio-warfare chemical weapon.

 

“Sir, I will fight them.” Wilhelm spoke up from across the room. He was the enforcer, the best right hand man Jack had. Even if most of his suggestions were direct fighting and confrontation.

 

“That’s not necessary. Get the tech department on the case of making sure no one hacked the company. Get the security footage of the area and bring it to me,” he commanded. Jack pinched the bridge of his nose. “For fuck’s sake,” he muttered under his breath.

 

Wilhelm nodded. “Yes, sir. I’m on it.”

 

He left the stressed CEO alone in his office.

 

**\---**

**OUTSKIRTS OF HELIOS, 4:12**

**RHYS, CODENAME: COMPANY MAN**

 

They only wanted to visit a diner outside the city.

 

They were just a few steps down the street and out of the gate when they heard screaming down the road.

 

“Is Moxxi getting married again? I know it’s outrageous, but people don’t have to react like this every time…” Rhys scowled, looking down the road. There was also a lot of running and was that blood?

 

“Bro, I don’t think it’s new Mox news.” Vaughn took off his glasses as if to see better. In all honesty, he just went more blind.

 

A woman that was split off from the crowd caught sight of them and began a mad sprint to the duo.

 

“Is that Yvette?” Rhys narrowed his eyes, looking closer.

 

Vaughn put his glasses back on. Ah, that was more like it. “She’s only been out of the city for a few hours, I don’t know why she’s so excited to see us.”

 

Rhys stumbled back. The closer she got, the worse she looked. Covered in blood with pale, lifeless eyes. She was snarling too. He didn’t know what it was, but his gut instinct was to run.

 

“Vaughn, we have to go!” The taller man grabbed his friend’s hand, trying to drag him along.

 

But by the time he reacted, it was too late.

 

Vaughn fell to the ground as Yvette tackled him and Rhys tried to pull him away. Their former friend dug straight into his neck with her teeth as Rhys desperately tried to pull him away. It was no use.

 

“Rhys, go!” Vaughn was choking out blood and his death wish was making sure his best friend didn’t hesitate.

 

And he did hesitate, but the woman on top of him was too preoccupied.

 

Vaughn’s eyes were going white. “Bro- ah! Save yourself..!”

 

He could hardly bring himself to do it, but his only choice was running. As he opened the gate with his keycard and fell against the hard cement, all Rhys could hear was the screaming of his best friend.

**Author's Note:**

> hope you had fun suffering


End file.
